As a photographer going to shoot your first wedding event, it is normal to have several questions running across your mind. While many of them will be tending to calm you down and prepare for your first exposure, a lot of them will be reminding you it’s your first, and you probably don’t have one of the best instant camera in the market, thereby making you unnecessarily tensed. When you cover your first marriage, it’s the pressure, and it’s normal. It’s a unique moment that will not be repeated. So, we are not allowed to make mistakes.
Here are 10 simple tips for those who will go through their baptism of fire: not 50 tricks, just 10. I focus on the essentials, but with these recommendations, you will be able to escape unscathed from your marriage, without forgetting anything essential.
#1: Prepare your equipment
I have a checklist on which is written all that I need to bring. From case to battery (at least 2), memory cards, lenses, flash, tripod, to fabric to wipe its optics – make sure you are not forgetting anything.
The day before, ensure you charge all the batteries thoroughly. Check that your cards are formatted, ready to register a new wedding.
If possible, provide backup equipment. The wedding photography is quite trying for the equipment and we are not safe from a breakdown. For my part, I will recommend you have two boxes, memory cards more than necessary and two batteries per camera.
#2: Equip yourself with a cobra flash
If you have not already done so, you must equip yourself with a cobra-type flash (with an adjustable head – it’s a very important detail). To be a wedding photographer means to deal with limited light situations, such as at the town hall or at the church, for example. My style does not agree so much with the flash, I prefer to use natural light, but sometimes we have no choice. For those unfamiliar with using a flash, first set it to TTL (auto) mode and play with the + or – button to adjust the flash output if necessary.
#3: Train yourself
In addition to the previous tip, if you miss practice, practice. This is not a joke. Enjoy an evening with friends to make your hand with the flash for example. This type of material requires practice to fully understand everything. And the worst thing to do is to use your flash for the first time during your first marriage.
Another example of exercise: couple photos. If you’ve never done it, how do you get out of it? My advice is to train on a couple of friends who will be delighted to have beautiful pictures. Try different poses, chat with them to put them at ease, test different angles, etc.
Wedding photography is a demanding discipline. So, to succeed, you have to practice. Would you have the idea to present yourself at an athletics competition without practicing? Obviously, no.
#4: Make a “shot list”
This is the advice if you want to be sure you do not miss anything important. On each wedding, I have on me (or rather in my photo bag), a sheet on which I noted all the important things for the bride and groom the day before. And how do I know all that? it’s very simple, I ask them. Which brings me to the next tip.
#5: Talk to the bride and groom
It is absolutely essential to know the couple you are going to photograph – at least to some extent. Discuss their expectations with them. There is nothing worse for married (and therefore for you) than to end up with pictures that do not look like them.
If this is your first marriage, this exchange can be a good opportunity to explain that this is your first marriage. They will be more lenient about the final result.
Some will think, “But never in life! It is absolutely necessary to hide the fact that one starts “. To those, I ask them a simple question: “How could you hide it! When they are going to ask you to show them the pictures of your previous marriages? They will surely see that it is your first one.”
#6: Locate the places
In wedding photography, the key is PREPARATION. Find the different places of D Day. Avoid at all costs, unpleasant surprises, especially in terms of light. You may not be able to do much, but at least know what to expect.
#7: Plan Group Photos
This part is probably the least exciting to photograph. Nevertheless, this remains a must in many marriages. My solution: ask the bride and groom to draw up a list of groups and choose a person from among the guests who will take care of the D-Day to call the people who must be on the picture. This avoids waste of time and energy.
#8: Shoot in RAW
The RAW format will give you many more possibilities in post-production. More flexibility to be creative, more flexibility also to make up for (possible) technical errors (expo and white balance among others).
The counterpart: the files are heavier. You’ll need bigger memory cards and more space on your hard drive, but from my point of view, it’s worth the cost.
9 – Shoot the Details
Today, details have an important place for brides. The future wives have often spent several months searching, hunting, tidying up the decoration of their wedding, their shoes, their dress, etc. The details are an integral part of the story of a wedding. So, you should spend some of your time there.
#10: Go silent
Mute the sound of your body when focusing. Nothing more annoying, annoying, unbearable than hearing in the church, the famous “beep-beep” of your camera.
Well, before I go, I will need to ass a bonus point, and that is not forgetting post-production editing. It is very important. It will allow you to include some finishing touches to your photos like adding some effect or black background and make them great. If you are not using any of the best instant cameras in the market now, then you will need to learn post-production editing to lite your wedding photos.
Share
Contributors
